Disadvantages of Owning an EV in Pakistan

Elevated fuel costs and the rapidly increasing environmental pollution have compelled people to rethink their choices and more and more people are thinking about buying EVs in Pakistan. But in the current developmental stage, the cons outweigh the pros and one should think twice before opting for an electric car in Pakistan.  

Even interested individuals are reluctant to buy an EV as they are uncertain due to the widespread fallacies and blatant generalizations. Here is a list of why EVs are not a good choice for Pakistanis consumers at the moment:

Charging Period

While fuel-powered cars require a few minutes of your day to get the tank full and all your fuel woes are sorted. Whereas it is compulsive for an electric car to recharge for about 4-6 hours to even a full day for a fully charged battery.

This requires safe, secure, and dedicated charging stations as EVs take a long time to charge. Thus, if you charge your EV at home the issue isn’t that big of a deal however when you are traveling long distances, the lack of power stations isn’t feasible and discourages people from investing in an EV.

With the advancement in the auto world, specified kits are available in the market that can reduce the charging time. But since this is an additional cost many people hesitate before making the leap and buying an EV thus they are not among the most popular cars for sale in Pakistan.

Unavailability of Charging Stations

Electric fueling stations are rare in Pakistan and most places don’t have them even in big metropolitan areas. This is probably the biggest advantage of owning an EV in Pakistan. Why buy a car when you can’t find charging stations in commercial areas to charge it for daily driving?

Moreover, electricity is expensive in developing nations like Pakistan which have a poor charging infrastructure. Currently, there are almost 85 locations across M-1, M-2, M-3, M-4, M-5, M-9, and N-5 that are available for the development of DC-fast charging infrastructure for (EVs) in Pakistan. However, due to the low EV footprint, the development is happening at a slow pace. A network of such power stations reduces the range anxiety in prospective customers but this won’t happen overnight.

In the US there are around 40k charging stations due to the massive popularity of EVs in the last few years however in a country like Pakistan which is struggling with an economic crisis, development

Silence as a Disadvantage

EVs are designed in a way to minimize noise which can be a great feat, particularly for a prime city car. But this blessing can be a source of chaos owing to the fact that people are used to hearing the sounds of cars coming from behind them. This can lead to accidents in some cases as most drivers are conditioned to the noise pollution prevalent on the road.

Limited Range

It is a widespread notion that EVs have a short driving range and speed i.e. approx. 180-250 miles after which their battery needs recharging. Therefore, for most electric cars for sale in Pakistan, it is unlikely that we can go on a road trip in them. Although they can manage day trips weather conditions also play an integral part in this and may reduce the range.

Although there are some outliers like the all-mighty Teslas and Air Dream Edition R, however, they are not within the reach of an ordinary man.

Mainstream EVs are hitting the 180-250 miles range. That’s enough to make many day trips easy, but you’re still limited by charging infrastructure.

Expensive Investment

Electric cars are expensive as compared to gas-powered cars. The initial investment is definitely steep therefore most people think twice before breaking the bank. An affordable EV costs around $30,000 to $40,000 whereas a luxury EV can range up to $80,000 or even more.

However, with the normalization and the widespread popularity of electric cars, their price will go down with time as they become the norm. In the current auto market, it is a niche market and very few used cars in Pakistan are available for sale.

Although electric cars can be cost-effective in the longer term as they cost less compared to fuel-powered cars on the daily basis. But the initial investment is costlier than a fuel-centric car. 

Expensive Battery Replacements

A battery is a key component of any electric vehicle as the whole car is designed around it. Therefore, batteries are the most expensive component of any EV. Although most EVs come with a guarantee that promises an eight-year/100k mile warranty however one can never be so sure about the shelf life of any device. Since most electric vehicles require that their battery is changed every 3-10 years.

Batteries found in EVs are composed of rare metals which amplify their price. The core ingredient is lithium which is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element. Auto manufacturers in Europe claim that since there is not a sufficient supply of lithium and its factories, producing EVs in Europe might be an issue.

Normally Two Seaters

Most of the electric cars available in the market today are compact and have two seats. Thus, they are not family-friendly like the popular sedans in our country which are the most popular used cars in Pakistan.

Carbon Footprint Fallacy

EVs promote sustainability as they don’t use nonrenewable resources. However, if the electricity used to charge is produced from a nonrenewable resource then there will be no difference in the carbon footprint. Moreover, the manufacturing of the battery is also not emission-free in most cases.

In such scenarios, the actual intent of transitioning to electric vehicles is bogus are we are not doing anything for a cleaner and greener environment as the whole setup is a ‘greenwashing’ marketing hoax.

Repair and Maintenance

Since EVs are new to the Pakistani market, local mechanics and people working at workshops are clueless about them. This is one of the fears behind not opting for an EV.